Illuminated sign.



F. WARD.

ILLUMINATED SIGN.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. '1, 1909.

Patented Nov. 23, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. WARD. I ILLUMINATED SIGN. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 7, 1909.

Patented Nov. 23, 1909.

-a SHEETS SHB ET 2.

ANDREW. a Gmum o0. PHOTO'LIYHOORAPNERS, WASHINGYON. D. c.

F. WARD.

ILLUMINATED SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.'I, 1909.

940,847. Patented Nov. 23, 1909. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

monzw. a. GRAHAM co. PHOYU-LITNOGRAPMERS. WASNNGYON. 0. cv

FREDERICK WARD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ILLUMINATED SIGN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 23, 1909.

Application filed January '7, 1909. Serial No. 471,101.

To all whom "it may concern: I Be it known that I, FREDERICK IVARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Illuminated Signs, of which the following, taken in connection with the drawing, is a description.

The primary object of my invention is to produce an automatically operated illuminated sign designed to be used principally as an advertising medium, but which, as is obvious may be adapted to other purposes as well.

This invention relates more particularly to that classof devices wherein a plurality of plates are mounted in a carrier and automatically intermittently operated to successively present the plates before the obj ective.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device which may be adjusted to refleet the image either on a'horizontal or'vertical plane, or at an angle.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of this kind which is automatically operated to intermittently move a series of plates into and out of display position, and one which will automatically lock each plate in the exposure position during the time the image is being reflected.

In the embodiment of my invention which is shown in the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated the principle thereof, the details of the construction of which may be changed without departing from the spirit of said invention, and in these drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan of the same; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the mechanism for intermittently operating the plateholding disk; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4ci of Fig. 3; looking in the direction of the arrow, and Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 6 is a plan View of the plate holding disk. I

In carrying out my invention A is a case which is provided with trunnions' a a. A, A, are supports which may be secured to any stationary object, and by whlch the trunnions are held to support the case A exposing the front of said casing A either in a vertical or horizontal position, or if desired at an angle.

Suitably supported within the casing A is a support B in which a motor or other suitable driving mechanism B is mounted. A worm Wheel C mounted on a shaft C is driven by the motor B, and mounted upon the shaft 0 is a pinion c which meshes with the gear C, mounted upon the operating shaft D, which shaft has a uniform rotative movement during the time the machine is in operation.

E is a shaft suitably mounted in bear ings within the casing A in alinement with the shaft D, and which receives its motion through the revolving and fixed cam and ratchet wheels, hereinafter described. Mounted upon one end of the shaft E is a plate holding disk E in which the glass photographic plates are held. The plates E are arranged circumferentially around the disk as shown in Fig. 6, and are removably held in place by the spring side clips 6.

Suitable lenses A A are arranged in the casing A in line with, an electric lamp A which is supported inside of the casing by the bracket A Referring now more particularly to Figs. 3, 4L and 5, F is a stationary cam, having the raised surface f thereon above the shaft D. G is a cam rigidly mounted upon the shaft D and revolves therewith. This revolving cam G is of the same diameter as the stationary arm F, but has a depressed surface 9 extending the same distance upon the circumference thereof as the raised surface f on the stationary cam. 'Mounted upon the shaft E and extending within the cam wheel G is a ratchet wheel I-I having a number of depressions h on the periphery thereof, the number of said depressions corresponding with the number of plates on the disk E, so that the revolution of the ratchet Wheel H from one depression to the next carries with it the disk E moving one plate out of exposure position and bringing the next plate into exposure position.

On the revolving cam G is pivoted a dog K, having a projecting end is which is held outward by the spring is against the surface of the fixed cam F, and which engages or disengages the dog on the ratchet wheel H, imparting movement to said ratchet wheel H While the dog is in any one of the depressions it. As soon as the revolving cam G has carried the dog K into the raised surface f of the cam the projection 70 on the dog K will take the position shown in Fig. 4 and engage one of the depressions h. A dog L ion having the projection Z thereon and held under tension of the spring L is secured to a bracket Z upon the bearing L and extends into the path of the ratchet wheel H. Simultaneously with the engagement of the dog K in a depression in the ratchet wheel H the revolving cam is moved far enough to bring the depressed surface 9 of the cam G into engagement with the projection Z upon the dog L and disengage the same from the depression h as shown in Fig. 5. By this engagement and disengagement of the aforesaid dogs an intermittent movement is given to the shaft E on which the disk E is mounted so that the different plates mounted in the disk may be exposed in succession at regular intervals. In a disk containing six plates as is illustrated herein, the shaft E will move sixty degrees in two seconds and bring a new plate into position and this plate will be in exposure position ten seconds for each revolution of the shaft.

In the foregoing specification and in the drawings I have not described or shown in detail the form of objective used in this de vice as any well known form suited for this purpose will be used, the principal feature of my invention being the plate holding disk 'and means for operating the same to bring the plates successively into-exposure position, the disk being locked against movement until it is time for the exposure of the next plate. a

The operation of the machine is as follows: The casing A is first attached to a stationary support and adjusted so that the sign will be reflected upon the side walk in front of a building, or upon a vertical wall, as desired. The plates are secured in the plate holder E, with the plate to be exposed directly in front of the objective A The motor B supplies the power to drive the operating shaft D, which shaft has a uniform rotative movement and carries therewith the cam G, to which is secured the dog K. This dog engages one of the depressions of the ratchet Wheel H during the revolution of the cam G and revolves the ratchet wheel on the shaft E which carries with it the plate holding disk E until the exposed plate is moved out of exposure position and the next succeeding plate is brought directly in front of the objective, when the dog K releases and the dog L engages one of the depressions and locks said disk against further movement, until the revolving cam has made another revolution, when the above operation is repeated.

I claim 1. In an illuminated sign the combination of the objective with a disk shaped plate carrier mounted upon an intermittently revoluble shaft, a stationary cam, a ratchet wheel and revoluble cam, a driving shaft, and mechanism for automatically engaging and releasing said ratchet wheel to intermittently move said plate carrier, substantially as described.

2. In an illuminated sign the combination of the objective with a disk shaped plate carrier, an intermittently revoluble shaft, a ratchet wheel and revoluble cam mounted upon said shaft, a stationary cam, dogs carried by the aforesaid cams and adapted'to alternately engage and release the aforesaid ratchet wheel to move the plate carrier from one exposure position to the next, substantially as described.

3. In an illuminated sign, the combination of the objective with the disk shaped plate carrier, plates, means for removably securing said plates in the disk and permitting them to be drawn radially therefrom, a shaft upon which said carrier is mounted, a driving shaft in alinement therewith, a stationary cam, a revoluble cam, a ratchet wheel, and means on said cams for intermittently engaging said ratchet wheel to revolve the disk carrying shaft, substantially as described.

t. In an illuminated sign, the combination of the objective with a disk shaped plate carrier, a shaft on which said carrier is mounted, a stationary cam, a cam mounted on the plate carrier shaft and in proximity to the stationary cam, a ratchet wheel, and means for intermittently revolving said wheel and the disk carrier, substantially as described.

5. In an illuminated sign, the combination of a casing, means for securing said casing to a stationary support, an objective, a disk shaped plate carrier, a uniformly rotative shaft, an intermittently rotative shaft, a stationary cam, a revoluble cam, a ratchet wheel, dogs alternately engaging and releasing said ratchet wheel whereby an intermittent motion is communicated to said plate carrier, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK WVARD. Witnesses:

JAMES P. CRANE, CHARLES I. COBB. 

